Silver halide photographic emulsions

Abstract

A silver halide photographic emulsion containing at least one spectral sensitizing dye represented by formula (I) ##STR1## wherein Z is an atomic group necessary for completing a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring, R 1 is an aliphatic group, R 2 is an aliphatic group having an alkylthio group or an aliphatic group having two alkoxy groups on the same carbon atom, R 3 is an aryl group, an alkyl group or an alkenyl group, R 4 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an aryl group, and m and n are 1 or 2.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A silver halide photographic emulsion containing at least one spectral sensitizing dye represented by formula (I) ##STR5## wherein Z is an atomic group necessary for completing a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring, such atomic group consisting of at least one carbon atom and of one or more nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur or selenium atoms, R 1  is an aliphatic group, R 2  is an aliphatic group having an alkylthio group or is an aliphatic group having two alkoxy groups on the same carbon atom, R 3  is an aryl group, an alkyl group or an alkenyl group, R 4  is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an aryl group, m and n is 1 or 2. 
     
     
       2. The photographic emulsion as claimed in claim 1, wherein Z is the atomic group necessary to complete an oxazole nucleus, a benzoxazole nucleus, a benzisooxazole nucleus, a naphthoxazole nucleus, a thiazoline nucleus, a thiazole nucleus, a benzothiazole nucleus, a naphthothiazole nuncleus, a selenazole nucleus, a benzoselenazole nucleus, a naphthoselenazole nucleus, a quinoline nucleus, an isoquinoline nucleus, an indolenine nucleus, a pyridine nucleus, a benzimidazole nucleus, a naphthoimidazole nucleus, a pyrrole nucleus, a pyrrolidine nucleus or a tetrazole nucleus. 
     
     
       3. The photographic emulsion as claimed in claim 2, wherein R 1  is an unsubstituted alkyl group, a sulfoalkyl group, a hydroxy-sulfoalkyl group, a sulfoalkoxyalkyl group, a carboxyalkyl group, a hydroxyalkyl group, an alkoxyalkyl group, a hydroxyalkoxyalkyl group, an acyloxyalkoxyalkyl group, an acyloxyalkyl group, an alkoxycarbonylalkyl group, a sulfoxyalkyl group, an aralkyl group or an alkenyl group. 
     
     
       4. The photographic emulsion as claimed in claim 3, wherein R 3  is an aryl group, an alkylaryl group, an alkoxyaryl group, a carboxyaryl group, a halogen-substituted aryl group, an alkoxycarbonylaryl group, a sulfoaryl group, an alkyl group, a sulfoalkyl group, an alkoxycarbonylalkyl group, a dialkylaminoalkyl group, an alkoxyalkyl group or a carboxyalkyl group or an alkenyl group. 
     
     
       5. The photographic emulsion as claimed in claim 4, wherein Z is the atomic group necessary for completing a benzoxazole nucleus, a benzisooxazole nucleus, a naphthoxazole nucleus, a thiazoline nucleus, a thiazole nucleus, a benzothiazole nucleus, a naphthothiazole nucleus, a benzoselenazole nucleus, a 2-pyridine nucleus, a 4-pyridine nucleus, a benzimidazole nucleus, or a pyrrolidine nucleus, R 1  is an unsubstituted alkyl group, a sulfoalkyl group, a sulfoalkoxyalkyl group, a hydroxy-sulfoalkyl group, a carboxyalkyl group, a sulfoxyalkyl group or an alkenyl group, R 2  is an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and having an alkylthio group of which the alkyl moiety has 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or is an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and having two alkoxy groups, each having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, on the same carbon atom, R 3  is an unsubstituted phenyl group, p-carboxyphenyl group, p-chlorophenyl group, p-sulfophenyl group, an unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a sulfoalkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a carboxyalkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkoxycarbonylalkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms in the alkyl moiety or an alkenyl group, and R 4  is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a phenyl group or a substituted phenyl group. 
     
     
       6. The photographic emulsion as claimed in claim 5, wherein Z is the atomic group necessary for completing a benzoxazole nucleus, a benzisooxazole nucleus or a naphthoxazole nucleus, and R 2  is a dialkoxyalkyl group consisting of an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms and having two alkoxy groups on the same carbon atom of the alkyl group, each of alkoxy groups having 1 to 3 carbon atoms. 
     
     
       7. The photographic emulsion as claimed in claim 6, wherein R 1  is an unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms; a hydroxyalkyl group having an alkyl moiety of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; a sulfoalkyl group having an alkyl moiety of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; a carboxyalkyl group having an alkyl moiety of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group, R 3  is a phenyl group, a p-chlorophenyl group, a p-carboxyphenyl group, an unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a sulfoalkyl group having an alkyl moiety of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a carboxyalkyl group having an alkyl moiety of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkoxycarbonylalkyl group having an alkyl moiety of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group, and R 4  is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having up to 2 carbon atom.